1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a personal computer comprising a stick-type coordinate input device as an input means.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in view of energy conservation, power management in personal computers has been promoted. Particularly, a portable personal computer known as a notebook computer generally uses a battery as a power source. Accordingly, in order to increase the operating time thereof as long as possible, the power saving is required.
As a means of saving the power of the personal computer, a personal computer comprising a function for switching a normal operating mode to a power saving mode for remarkably suppressing power consumption when the keyboard or the like is not operated is widely known.
In the power saving mode, there are generally a plurality of levels such as a sleep mode in which only a monitor screen or a hard disk is stopped and an idle mode in which even the clock oscillator of the CPU is stopped so that the power consumption is further suppressed in comparison with the sleep mode.
However, when the power saving mode is returned to the normal operating mode, in order to reduce the burden on the user, for example, in the notebook computer, it is switched to the normal operating mode when a press of the keyboard is detected (For example, see Japanese unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-36131)
However, it is difficult for the user to operate a stick-type pointer (stick-type coordinate input device) which is easier to operate than the keyboard to return the power saving mode to the normal operating mode. In other words, in order to detect the tilting of the stick-type pointer; a detecting circuit for detecting a distortion sensor must be operated. The operation of the detecting circuit requires the driving of the clock oscillator of the CPU.
However, in the so-called idle mode for remarkably suppressing power consumption among the power saving modes, the clock oscillator of the CPU is stopped. Accordingly, the tilting of the stick-type pointer can not be detected in order to return the computer to the normal operating mode.